Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

Fiji add firepower to their line up for Samoa clash

By Chris Jones
Vereniki Goneva

Harlequins new signings Vereniki Goneva and Tevita Cavubati have been drafted into the Fiji team to face Samoa in Suva on Saturday as head coach John McKee searches for his most powerful line up for the Rugby World Cup in Japan.

ADVERTISEMENT

Goneva, 35-years-old, is back from injury to make his first appearance in the Pacific Nations Cup where Fiji are the defending champions and McKee is banking on the wing’s experience to help the team quickly deliver the kind of performance to prove they could be a major threat to World Cup pool opponents Australia and Wales.

McKee has picked Cavubati alongside Leone Nakarawa at lock while the promising Setareki Tuicuvu, who helped defeat France in Paris last November, is at full back to face a Samoa team missing captain Piula Fa’asalele who broke his wrist against the USA and could be out for up to six weeks. McKee said: “We all know what a great player he (Goneva) is and a leader on and off the field. Tuicuvu is a young player on the way up and has had some really good match time with his season in Clermont.

“They had a few unfortunate injuries which restricted their game time. But credit to them they have worked very hard during their rehabilitation. They’re in top-notch in their fitness conditions and are really looking forward to the game.”

Video Spacer

Fiji will feature a solid front-row led by hooker Sam Matavesi and props Campese Ma’afu and Peni Ravai and an outstanding back row trio of captain Dominiko Waqaniburotu, Semi Kunatani and No8 Viliame Mata. Half-Back Frank Lomani and Fly-half Ben Volavola start after missing the win over Canada and there is a new mid-field pairing of Levani Botia and Semi Radradra.

“We are looking at a few positions ahead of the Rugby World Cup, giving the players the opportunity to get some game time before the squad is announced,” added McKee. “We are looking at our combinations within the team and are getting them to play together so that they get the combinations together.”

Fiji Airways Flying Fijians match-day 23

1. Campese Ma’afu

2. Sam Matavesi

3. Peni Ravai

4. Tevita Cavubati

5. Leone Nakarawa

6. Dominiko Waqaniburotu

ADVERTISEMENT

7. Semi Kunatani

8. Viliame Mata

9. Frank Lomani

10. Ben Volavola

11. Patrick Osbourne

12. Levani Botia

13. Semi Radradra

14. Vereniki Goneva

15. Setareki Tuicuvu

Reserves

16. Mesulame Dolokoto

17. Eroni Mawi

18. Kalivati Tawake

19. Tevita Ratuva

20. Peceli Yato

21. Nikola Matawalu

22. Josh Matavesi

23. Kini Murimurivalu

Video Spacer
ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Chasing The Sun | Series 1 Episode 1

Fresh Starts | Episode 1 | Will Skelton

ABBIE WARD: A BUMP IN THE ROAD

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 9

James Cook | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

New Zealand victorious in TENSE final | Cathay/HSBC Sevens Day Three Men's Highlights

New Zealand crowned BACK-TO-BACK champions | Cathay/HSBC Sevens Day Three Women's Highlights

Japan Rugby League One | Bravelupus v Steelers | Full Match Replay

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

S
Sam T 4 hours ago
Jake White: Let me clear up some things

I remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.

4 Go to comments
E
Ed the Duck 11 hours ago
How Leinster neutralised 'long-in-the-tooth' La Rochelle

Hey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂

5 Go to comments
FEATURE
FEATURE France and All Blacks in tug of war over latest star from New Caledonia France and All Blacks in tug of war over latest star from New Caledonia
Search